Milwaukee police locate family of young child found near 38th Street and Burleigh Avenue

Child found safe on Milwaukee’s northwest side

Milwaukee police issued a public request for help identifying a young child who was found alone near the intersection of North 38th Street and West Burleigh Street on Friday, March 14, 2025. Authorities said the child was safe but needed to be reconnected with family members.

The case was handled through the Milwaukee Police Department’s District 7, which covers a large portion of the city’s northwest side. Police asked anyone with information to contact District 7 directly.

Update: family located and reunification underway

Later the same day, police reported that the child’s family had been identified and that reunification efforts were underway. No additional identifying details about the child or family were released publicly.

Police did not describe the circumstances that led to the child being separated from caregivers, nor did they announce whether the incident resulted in referrals to child-welfare authorities or any enforcement action. Under Wisconsin law, child protective services investigation information is generally not available to the public, limiting what can be independently confirmed once a case shifts into child-welfare review.

Why police ask the public to assist in identification

When a child is found and cannot provide identifying information, police commonly rely on time-sensitive public outreach to locate parents or guardians quickly. The approach can be especially important in a dense urban environment where a child may have wandered several blocks from where they were last seen, and where multiple adults may recognize the child or know the family.

Public identification requests typically focus on verifiable facts—location, time window, and a contact number—while limiting personal details that could lead to misidentification or privacy harms. In this case, authorities centered their request on the intersection near where the child was found and directed tips to the district station.

How to report information and when to call 911

• For emergencies or immediate safety threats, call 911.

• For non-emergency police assistance in Milwaukee, residents can call 414-933-4444.

• To reach Milwaukee Police District 7 directly, call 414-935-7272.

If you believe you have information that can help reconnect a child with family, contacting police quickly can help shorten the time a child remains separated from caregivers.

The March 14, 2025 incident ended with the child’s family being located and reunification underway, police said.